Numerous types of filing systems and devices are known. Presently, it is known to employ color coded systems to prevent and/or readily identify any misfiling of folders. Such a system has been extensively marketed by Jeter Systems Corporation, the assignee of the instant application. Such systems and devices are known to substantially prevent, reduce, or at least assist in the identifying of misfiling. However, there is a very important need for filing system and devices which allow for rapid classifying or categorizing of individuals within a filing system without the risk of duplication which results when several individuals have the same identifying characteristics. In most filing systems, the files associated with particular individuals are typically listed or categorized and filed alphabetically. Such a system allows for twenty-seven basic sets within the filing system, one for each of the twenty-six letters of the alphabet, and a twenty-seventh one for the prefix "Mc." However, in extremely large filing systems such as those encountered in the health care industry, there is a likelihood of duplicate names, including both first and last names, particularly when the surname is Jones, Smith, Wilson, or the like.
Health providers often have extremely large filing systems as a result of a patient base which may exceed fifty thousand or more. In such a filing system, similar or identical names are often encountered. Such gives rise to the risk of mixing files and data between various patients, a very risky situation, particularly in the health care industry. To break up large groups of individuals for receipt by filing systems, approaches have been taken to identify individuals with a numeric system, rather than an alphabetic one. Most typically, filing systems rely upon the social security number of the individual as a means of identification, since each individual's social security number is unique. However, it has been found that many individuals either do not have a social security number, such as children or the like, or they do not have a ready recollection of their social security number.
In order to provide a filing system which breaks up the large volumes of similar names which occur in total alphabetic systems, it is most attractive to provide some type of a numeric system, based upon numbers common to all individuals and which are readily remembered by such individuals. Further, by coupling a numeric base with an alphabetic subbase, further break-ups of the filing system base are achievable, further safeguarding against errors and misfilings. The combination of a numeric system with alphabetic subsets would be capable of accommodating extensive numbers of individuals and, if the alphabetic and numeric systems are substantially unique to each of the individuals within the system, the likelihood of misfilings and errors can be greatly reduced. Prior to the invention disclosed herein, a need for such a system existed within the art.